Combination utility stand



Patented 13,

UNl'lED JOHN SKULTETY, OF LC EEE CALIFDBNIA.

OUMBINATIUJEI UTILITY Application filed Uctober 1, 1927.

My invention relates to utility stands adapted for a wide variety of uses, such as a chair, a piano stool, a Christmas tree stand, a combination cigar, cigarette ash tray, and match box holder, a table and the like, said stand being collapsible so that it may occupy a small space so that it may be conveniently stored.

It accordingly is an object of my invention to provide a novel form of combination collapsible utility stand in which a pair of supporting members has associated therewith a set of collar sible supporting legs, an article supporting means, preferably in the form of a cylindrical stem being preferably detachably associated with said members for supporting the articles themselves or for supporting devices, which devices are adapted to support numerous articles of dif ferent character, said devices being adapted to be removed from said stem and hooked to said stand when it is collapsed.

The above and further objects and advantages of my invention, as will hereinafter more fully appear, I attain by the device and apparatus constructed in accordance with the specification and illustrated on the drawings, forming a part of my application.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar parts. In the drawn Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my in vention, showing in dotted lines the manner in which it may be collapsed, and also the manner in which one of the article supporting devices maybe hooked thereon when out of use, another of said devices being shown in position for use,

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 22, Fi 1, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of one of the article supporting devices, illustrating its adjustability and the manner in which it may be collapsed,

Fig. 1 is a sectional. view taken on the line l4, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing a cushion thereon whereby the stand may be used as a piano stool, asset or the like,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view Serial 1370. $523,409.

showing the application of the invention as a Christmas tree holder,

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the device depicted in Figs. 3 and 4 showing the application of the invention as a tea table,

7 is a similar view on a somewhat different s :ale showing the invention as a table with umbrella shade,

Fig. 8 a side elevational detail View of the detachable supporting stem,

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 8,

, Fig. 10 a fragmentary side elevational detail view ofthe lower plate or supporting member for sup iorting and anchoring the device shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and also to engage the lower end of the Christmas tree trunk, and,

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the supporting stem and sleeve in partly assembled relation.

Describing my invention more in detail, it is my purpose to provide a general utility stand which is collapsible, and still of ample rigidity to support individuals and articles of great weight, and which is inexpensive and easy to manufacture, attractive in appearance, and capable of a large variety of uses.

As seen in the drawings, the stand comprises an upper supporting member, desig nated generally by the reference numeral 2, shown in 1 and 2, which member is in skeleton form, circular or otherwise, and composed of complementary devices or pieces at of any preferred number, each of which is provided with flanges or extensions 6, between which are adapted to be pivoted by any suit-able means such as the bolts 8, forming pivotes for the movable leg braces or strips 10 of any desired number to correspond with the number of devices or pieces 41-, said braces or strips being also pivoted to the legs 12 by suitable means such as the bolts 14,-.

The stand also provided with a lower supporting member in the shape of a suitable plate preferably circular in shape to which are secured in any desired way the extensions 18, preferably fiat and twisted as at 20 for the sake of rigidity, the legs 12 being pivoted thereto as at 22, said extensions being also equipped with stops 2% in the shape of hooks, to prevent the braces or strips 10 from extending out too far,and also to provide a rigid structure when the stand is in use, said extensions also forming a guiding means for said braces or pieces.

, The legs 12, which are preferably fiat, as are the braces or strips 10, are also twisted as at 26 to form a more rigid structure, and are equipped with preferably turned-up, curled feet 28 which enhances the ornamental feature of the device, the upper ends 30 of the braces or strips 10 being also curled for ornamentative and also for anchoring purposes, if desired, such as anchoring the Christmas tree 32 shown in Fig. 5, or for other uses.

Centrally positioned in the stand, and between the upper and lower supporting members 2 and 15 is the supporting stem 34, which is preferably cylindrical and equipped with a perforated bottom 36, the hole 38 being adapted to receive a suitable anchoring means 40 in the shape of a prong or spike to insure that said stem will be held immovable upon the lower member or plate 15, apreferably circular flange 42, associated as desired with the stem 34 (Figs. 2 and 8) being adapted to have a close fit within the upper supporting member or device 2.

The stem 34 is also equipped with an internally threaded projection 44 adapted to receive a suitable set screw 48, for the purpose presently to be explained; and the upper supporting member 2 is also equipped with any preferred number of additional set screws 48 to assist in holding the stem 34 in position, in addition to the plate or flange 42, all of said set screws also functioning for an additional purpose presently to be described.

Not only is the stem 34 adapted to receive and support articles of difierentcharacter direct, but it is adapted to support articlesupporting devices, upon which may be placed articles of different variety, as in practice may be suggested, adapting the stand for use as an article of furniture, such as a piano stool, a seat, a table and the like. Such devices are shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 6

and 7 To use said devices, it is preferable to employ an additional supporting device comprising a subsidiary stem preferably in the shape of a sleeve 50 adapted to be associated with the main stem 34. See Figs. 1 and 2. The subsidiary stem 50 is adapted to be secured in position against movement by the set screw 46. See Fig. 2. Any preferred number of article supporting devices are adapted to be supported by said subsidiary stem.

As seen in Fig. 1, the device 52 composed of a number of arms 54, secured together, and flanged as at 56, may be used to support the conventional ash tray, cigar, cigarette and match box holding means 56, a short stem 58 or other means being used to engage the subsidiary stem 50 so that the device 56 may be easily detached therefrom and another article supporting device, or other article substituted therefor.

Such another article supporting device is shown in Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7. and comprises a plate 60 provided with a stem 62 similar to the stem 58 and adapted to engage the subsidiary stem or sleeve 50. Preferably two overlapped arms 64 are journalled centrally in the plate 60, and accordingly are adapted for relative rotary movement with respect to each other and said plate, one of said arms rotating with said stem 62, said last named arm being provided with a raised portion 66, the other arm being capable of movement below said raised portion.

The arms 64 are slotted as at 68 to provide for the adjustment of the extension arm members 70, flanged as at 72 to prevent movement of the cushion 74 (Fig. 4) or the table top 76 (Figs. 6 and 7), a conventional wing nut or other construction 78 being used to secure said extension members in adjusted position. Fig. 6 shows the stand used as a tea table. Fig. 7 shows the stand as a table for out door use, the umbrella SO,

with its handle in the stem 34, providing a sun-shade.

Fig. 5 shows the application of my device as a Christmas tree holder, the flanged stem 34 being entirely removed from the stand, the trunk of the tree 32 being held in position by the set screws 48, and the bottom of said trunk being forced into the prong or spike 40, thus securely holding the tree without cutting away any portion of the trunk.

While I have thus described my invention with great particularity, it will be clear that the same may be modified throughout a wide range. I accordingly do not propose to be limited to the exact detailsof construction shown and described, but reserve the right in practice to make any and all modifications thereof that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a combination utility stand, upper and lower supporting members, said upper member being hollow and said lower member of flat construction, a flanged supporting stem having its flange positioned within the hollow part of said upper member and its lower end anchored on said lower member, said stem being adapted to detachably support article supporting devices of dilierent character, and a set of legs pivoted to each of said members for supporting said stand.

2. In a combination utility stand, a set of complementary flanged supporting devices, a set of leg braces pivoted between said flanges, said devices, when secured together being adapted to form an upper supporting member, a lower supporting member comprising a flat plate, a set of extensions projecting from said plate and adapted to form guiding means and stops for said leg braces, a set of legs pivoted to said extensions and to said braces whereby said stand may be collapsed, and an article supporting member supported on said plate and extending through said devices.

3. A combination utility stand comprising an upper support and a lower support, a

set of braces pivoted to said upper support and movable relatively to said lower support, means connected to said lower support for limiting the outward movement of said braces, a set of legs pivoted to said braces and to said means, and an article supporting device extending through said upper support and detachably connected to said lower support.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN SKULTETY. 

